Comments on: South Bypass

By: The Plot To (Not) Annoy Eric Meyer : Incisive.nu

The Plot To (Not) Annoy Eric Meyer : Incisive.nu — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:54:33 +0000

[...] every year, Eric Meyer, who no longer attends SXSW, is annoyed by all the SXSW Twitter fuss. And reasonably so. Twitter needs to work out a way to [...]

By: Eric Meyer

Eric Meyer — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 19:18:01 +0000

You seem to have missed almost the entire point of the post, Kiki, but thanks for commenting anyway.

By: Kiki

Kiki — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:24:06 +0000

I can’t help commenting at how sad it appears to me, for you not to do something because you’re married with children. Unlike the others, I do NOT understand. (PS, I’m in my 40s and married, so don’t say I’ll understand when I get there.)

By: Matt Robin

Matt Robin — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:37:03 +0000

Lori: I’m in the UK, and my Web Design is Freelance in my own time outside of work hours (with the 9-5, a job that isn’t web-related at all)…so the cost of the flight, costs while I’m there, etc. would all come out of my pocket…which is pricey!

Glenda (Goodwitch) – Yeah, I can’t make it again this year. :(

Eric: Sorry, that was going slightly off-topic! I can understand why you’d prefer to spend time with your family than go to SXSW (as good as it is or might be).

By: Eric Meyer

Eric Meyer — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:37:20 +0000

I did bring the family once, goodwitch, and it was actually just as stressful, but in a different way. I wanted to be with them but also with all the geeks. There was no way to balance both and make everyone happy, least of all me; I always felt like I was shorting one side of the equation or the other (or both). And that was way back in 2006, before things got really out of control. So, sorry I won't be there to refuse your tattooing again, and apologies to those who will miss me, but you'll all be way too busy to really notice, I suspect. Chris, I'm sincerely flattered you consider that a highlight. The highlight for me in talking to you the second time was that I remembered us meeting the first time. Seriously, I'm horrible at remembering names and faces, so any time I can retain someone in memory enough to know I've met them before, it's like a personal triumph. But then, I suppose some people are more memorable than others... and I gotta look out for my Ohio homeboys!

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:47:14 +0000

I can’t agree with you more. It is hard to be gone for a week with a family at home, which is why I’m not making the trip this year either.

First timers will be surprised at how approachable people are, especially “those who interest you.” I greatly appreciated, and was pleasantly shocked, that you remembered me said hi after only a brief introduction the year before. That was honestly a highlight last year. Thanks.

By: goodwitch

goodwitch — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 04:38:33 +0000

Eric, you will be greatly missed. Next year, consider bringin’ the family. Austin is a brilliant and wonderful place to explore and you could get a totally fresh perspective through the eyes of your wife and child.

Damn, that means I can’t get you to wear an “I’m Accessible” tattoo this year either!

By: Go big or stay home » melle.ca

Go big or stay home » melle.ca — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:24:48 +0000

[...] Well, I think this sums it up pretty well. And hey, he’s been, so he knows what he’s talking about. [...]

By: Lori

Lori — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 22:55:45 +0000

I have never been to a SXSW (though it’s been the ultimate goal of my friends since back when my friends were all musicians and poets, not web geeks). I love getting together with people who do what I do, but I neither feel so alone in my profession as I once did, nor tolerate crowds very well. Unlike Mr. Robin above, the thing that keeps me from going every year is not cash, but a compelling reason to be there other than “it’d be cool.”

By: David Mead

David Mead — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 03:24:43 +0000

Last year was my first time @ SXSWi and it was stimulation overload, but fantastic nevertheless.

This year I want to concentrate a little more on the networking, meet & chat side of things though I’m sure to have the odd internal squeal if I get to stand behind Zeldman again :-)

Hopefully catch up with you at the April CWSA meeting.

By: Eric Meyer

Eric Meyer — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:04:48 +0000

Tracy, I look forward to it! The conversation, I mean. Any squealing you feel compelled to do is your own affair. I'll miss you too, Porter (can we get a round of "Kumbaya" going here?)---we could've gone back for photo passes or something---but not the overcrowding. Based on last year's attendance and the overall trend, I predict there should be more than 7,000 attendees this year for Interactive alone. And did predict at the show last year. Let me know how close I got, willya?

By: Porter

Porter — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 03:47:48 +0000

Dang… I’ll miss you, but I totally get where you’re coming from. As it is I don’t know how I’m going to do a week away from our new little one, so things better not be so ridiculously overcrowded that I can’t get some value out of the trip this year.

By: Matt Robin

Matt Robin — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:26:18 +0000

I have yet to go to SXSW (although I have wanted to for ages), and each year it is the same reason that forces me not to go: lack of cash. For this year’s SXSW, I actually resigned myself to ‘not going’ very early on…and now there’s no last-minute disappointment of not being able to make it (again). I’ve missed the event enough times now that it really does feel like something that is too hyped-up and I’d imagine the enormity of the crowds would taint the experience a bit anyway.
So, from that perspective – I can understand why you’d rather spend that time with your nearest/dearest instead :)

By: Ed Eliot

Ed Eliot — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 18:54:46 +0000

I totally agree. I went last year and throughly enjoyed the sessions. Outside of that though I felt a bit of a lemon. I don’t drink much either and I found the evening events far too noisy for my liking. I wish more venues provided a quiet environment where one could talk without having to shout.

By: Tracy Osborn

Tracy Osborn — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:27:01 +0000

Just go up and say hi and spend a few minutes chatting. It"s totally cool. In fact, it"s kind of the point.

I'm looking forward to chatting you up at AEA SF then, since I'll miss you at my first sxsw. I'll keep the squealing to a minimum and try to focus on meaningful conversation, I promise. :P